16 Popular Fashion Rules That Are Too Outdated to Follow

The saying, “Rules exist to be broken” — is extremely true for fashion. Today, it’s no longer possible to follow the rules of style that were instilled in us by our mothers and grandmothers. It’s time to reconsider this outdated concept of style — some things should be forgotten completely, and others should be just slightly updated.

We at Bright Side are very meticulous about fashion trends, so we were in a rush to find out which style rules are hopelessly outdated and only exist to ruin the look of people who continue to follow them.

Myth 1. Small breasts need to be hidden or visually enlarged.

Push-up bras with 3 layers of padding are no longer relevant. Small breasts are becoming trendy as another form of body positivity. If, in the past, women with small breasts resorted to various tricks and artificially enlarged their breasts, now, this is no longer necessary — many women have discarded outdated stereotypes about the necessity to have large breasts and dared to be themselves.

Myth 2. It’s necessary to wear a belt with jeans or trousers.

Many people still believe that it’s necessary to wear a belt if there are belt loops on your trousers. However, this idea might just overload your look. And if the trousers fit your body perfectly and don’t fall off, you can totally go without a belt. If you wear a simple outfit like jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers, this accessory will be superfluous. But when you create a more formal look with trousers and a shirt, it can serve as an additional accent that will make your look more elegant.

Myth 3. One of the print colors should be represented in other clothing items.

It’s said that if you wear a 3-color dress (for example, a print that combines red, green, and orange), the accessories you wear should be of one of these shades. But modern fashion is breaking this rule. If your outfit is bright, it’s already an accent, so there is no need to incorporate the colors already present in the outfit into the rest of the elements of your look.

Myth 4. You can’t mix prints.

A person dressed in the same print from head to toe can make you feel dizzy. But if we use the same print in a different size, for example, polka dots or stripes, the look will become much more interesting. The greater the contrast is, the more fashionable your outfit will be considered these days. So it’s time to experiment.

“Animal” prints go well with both graphic and pictorial patterns. But they look best with each other. One of the more successful combinations is geometric patterns combined with natural patterns. Two graphic prints (for example, check and polka dots) wonderfully coexist with each other when they belong to the same color scheme and to different ones. Stripes go well with any pattern and can be used just like neutral black or denim clothing. And it is simply impossible to do anything wrong by combining 2 different prints in black and white.

Myth 5. Denim doesn’t go well with denim.

The combination of denim jackets with denim trousers was jokingly nicknamed the “Canadian tuxedo.” But today, a total denim look is no longer considered a sign of poor taste — many celebrity fashionistas love to combine several denim items in one look. If you try this clothing combination in real life, you’ll see how good this approach is. The main thing to remember is to select the top and bottom in the same or similar shades of denim.

Myth 6. You need to hide your underwear.

Things that combine the functions of underwear and everyday wear are gaining tremendous popularity. For example, various bodysuits can be worn instead of a blouse or a T-shirt. The same applies to bralettes, which have already become an integral part of an everyday outfit. Now, they look like a combination of a crop top and a bra. By the way, bralettes and harnesses can even be worn over clothing. Just remember, the outfit shouldn’t be unnecessarily revealing.

Myth 7. White clothes are only for summer.

Light colors are a practical solution for a warm summer day. But don’t forget about them in the autumn-winter season. When it becomes cold outside, many people immediately switch to dark and nondescript shades. However, it’s the color white that makes the look unbeatably chic.

In addition, if the base of the outfit is white (like for example, a coat or a down jacket), it becomes a kind of a canvas on which you can draw. One of the most stylish, simple, and elegant ways to put your outfit together is to add colorful accessories.

Myth 8. You can’t wear headwear indoors.

Hat etiquette originally appeared as a way to show respect, and it was mandatory. Slowly but surely, men and women are breaking this tradition by wearing hats whenever and wherever they feel like it. Especially, if the headpiece is an important part of the look. Of course, it’s better to consider the circumstances — sometimes, you need to take off your hat in a public place, like if it blocks the view and gets in the way of other people who are watching a movie or a play.

But indoors, women should only take off their hats if they wear them strictly to keep themselves warm. As for baseball caps, the rules are the same for everyone — it’s still better to take them off indoors, except for airports, sporting events, and elevators.

Myth 9. Wearing sparkly clothes during the day is a sign of bad manners.

In the past, shiny things were part of eveningwear, so it was believed that in everyday life, they looked ridiculous. But it’s possible to successfully incorporate lurex, sequins, and even rhinestones into our everyday outfits. We just have to follow one rule — shiny details are best combined with clothes that are as neutral as possible.

Myth 10. Horizontal stripes make you look bigger.

At the end of the 19th century, German physicist and physiologist Hermann von Helmholtz showed that a square with horizontal lines looks taller and thinner than exactly the same one, but with vertical lines. This rule also applies to clothing — if 2 people, wearing the same size clothes, get dressed in a dress with horizontal stripes and in a dress with vertical ones, a person in a dress with horizontal stripes will be perceived as slimmer.

But keep in mind that the print with the horizontal stripes is also not as simple as it seems. It all depends on the width of the stripes — the wider and less frequent the stripes are, the heavier the silhouette will seem. To make your body slimmer for sure, it’s better to choose diagonal stripes. They’re more dynamic and they visually lengthen the figure.

Myth 11: Red lipstick is only for the evening.

Red lipstick is very bright, so many women are afraid of it and use it only when creating their evening looks. But this is a mistake. Daytime makeup can also look great with red lipstick. You just have to be moderate with your other makeup in order to not overdo it with the accents on your face.

Myth 12. Light-colored shoes can’t be worn with black tights.

Many items from your wardrobe can be seen in a new light if you come up with trendy combinations. The contrast of light-colored shoes with black tights looks very unusual but still elegant. It can become a bright solution and the main accent in the look. The main thing is that the tights shouldn’t be very thick and the rest of the outfit should consist of neutral accessories and colors.

Myth 13. High heels don’t look good on tall women.

It used to be believed that a person shouldn’t stand out from the crowd and be too noticeable. But we must admit that high heels look great on tall girls, making their already endless legs even longer. The main thing is to feel confident when you’re wearing heels and to maintain your posture.

Myth 14. There should always be a bright clothing accent.

The world has discovered minimalism. And designers urge everyone to pay attention to this clothing style. Straight lines, basic and natural colors, clear silhouettes, and laconic models are now at the peak of popularity. Try wearing accessories in neutral colors — black, white, or any shade of brown, and you’ll appreciate how they magically go well with any outfit.

Myth 15. Headscarves are only for older women.

Scarfs have literally burst into the fashion world, and we can and should wear them on our bag, neck, belt, and, of course, on our head. You can casually weave this accessory into your hairstyle or gently wrap a bun with it and release the ends of the scarf at the bottom of the hairstyle. You can wrap your head in a creative way with a handkerchief, or just tie it up. In the latter case, it is important to choose modern clothes so you don’t look old-fashioned.

To create a modern look, it’s better to combine a scarf with a fur coat or a down jacket. This way, you won’t have to think about what kind of headdress you should choose for each piece of your outerwear. All ingenious things are simple.

Myth 16. Overalls are old-fashioned.

Today, classic denim overall models with straps aren’t trendy anymore. But overalls with long sleeves in a “worker” style, decorated with large pockets and a zipper in the middle of the outfit, are in style. Most often, fashionistas combine these overalls with sneakers or cowboy shoes. And pay attention to the overalls with voluminous sleeves.

What clothing rules do you follow?